Botched Birthday
by Vegetarian Salad
Summary: Series of oneshots in celebration of character birthdays. Ch. 6: KakaIru.
1. NejiHina

Note from the Author: Is it totally pathetic that I know when Neji's birthday is? Yes? I thought so.

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Hinata sighed, kicking at the sidewalk with sandaled toes as she sulked, trudging down the empty street, wishing she wasn't quite as completely pathetic as she was.

"Hinata-san?"

She winced, lifted her eyes.

Sakura tilted her head at her, a smile playing on her face, and almost immediately following, a frown. "What's wrong, Hinata-san?"

A cry welled up in her throat: "I screwed up!"

Sakura blinked. "You screwed up what?"

Hinata buried her face in her hands. "Neji-nii-san probably thinks I'm so stupid."

Sakura sighed. This again. "I'm sure Neji-san doesn't think you're stupid." She led her over to a bench. "What happened?" she asked, sitting cross-legged beside her.

Hinata sniffled, rubbing at her white eyes. "It's his birthday." Her hands twisted in her lap. "I wanted to do something special." She looked over at her friend, exasperated. "I want him to like me!"

Sakura tucked a strand of pink hair behind her ear. "Okay. I understand that. But what _happened_?"

The shy girl's shoulders slumped. "Well, I got him a present. And I made him tea."

"Stop right there." Sakura's green eyes were lit up with amusement. "You spilled tea all over him, didn't you?" The other girl looked about ready to cry and she regretted saying it. "I'm sure he isn't that mad."

"I wouldn't know." Hinata said quietly. "I ran out so fast I have no idea how he reacted."

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Neji looked around, determined to locate his cousin. He didn't understand why she was so upset – it was just tea, it would come out. He had changed his shirt quickly and left the Hyuuga compound as fast as he could, knowing that she knew how to disappear if she wanted to. She was a good ninja, if not very confident.

He heard muffled voices around the corner.

"He's never liked me." It was Hinata's voice. "I've been trying to impress him for so long. He thinks I'm stupid, that I'm not worthy to be the Hyuuga heir."

Sakura's voice came in, soothing: "I'm sure that's not -"

"It is!" Hinata sounded upset and angry. "He's always thought that. And the thing is – he's _right. _It's why I hate myself so much sometimes. I hate myself because as long as I'm like this, Neji-nii-san won't like me."

Neji's shoulders slumped, his eyes on the ground. She thought he didn't like her? It was really no wonder – he'd made that pretty clear during the Chuunin exams. But it had never been _her _he hated. He despised her family – what they stood for, how they acted, what they'd done to his father. He let out a breath, fists clenching, and spun on his heel, heading back to the Hyuuga compound. He'd prove to her he didn't hate her.

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Hinata sighed, stepped into her home. She had put off coming back for as long as she could, but eventually Sakura had to go home too, and she couldn't follow her around anymore. She shuffled toward the kitchen, froze in the doorway, yelping in surprise at Neji sitting at the table, then blushed. "N-n-Neji-nii-san. I didn't realize you were still here."

Neji blinked at her in a slow way that drove her crazy – she could never tell what he was thinking. "Hinata-sama, why did you leave? We didn't even finish our tea."

Her mouth fell open. "I – but – I th-thought that you were _angry_ a-and –"

"When did I say I was angry?" he stood, moved toward her until he was standing before her.

She looked up at him, tried to make herself shrink. She wanted to disappear. "Y-you didn't. I just figured that …" she trailed off, averting her eyes.

Neji tilted her head up, forcing her gaze to him. "I'm not angry, Hinata-sama." He said softly.

Her face felt like it was on fire. His fingers were softer than she figured they'd be, considering he was a ninja. The fact that she had thought about how his fingers would feel on her skin made her face even hotter.

"Why are you blushing?" he asked, eyebrow lifted.

Oh, now she _really _wanted to get away. "I-I-I'm sorry, Neji-nii-san."

"Stop apologizing." He ordered gently, letting his hand drop.

She almost protested the action, realized how stupid it would have been, and said, "Yes, Neji-nii-san." She dug into her pocket. "I-I got you something." She held a small package out to him, smiling shyly. "For your birthday."

He looked at it for a second, then took it from her, studying it, trying to figure out what it was. It was flat, hard – about five inches by eight inches.

"Wh-what's wrong?" she asked nervously.

"I've … never really gotten a gift before." He admitted softly, a small smile playing on his lips. "Thank you, Hinata-sama."

She giggled awkwardly. "You haven't even opened it yet."

He held it up to the light. "Maybe I won't. Maybe I'll leave it wrapped and look at it on all my birthdays. It'll remind me that I _have _gotten a gift before."

"That doesn't make sense."

His eyes came back to her.

Her face flushed again. "I-I mean, I'll give you a gift every year from now on. I want you to open them."

Now he really did smile. "Alright." He slid his finger under the edge of the wrapping paper, opened it smoothly and quickly. He found himself staring at himself. It was a framed photograph of him, with Hinata at his side. It had been taken when she was three and he was four. They were smiling – his arm was around her.

"I-I don't have any recent pictures of us." She said, looking fondly at the photo upside down. "M-maybe we can have one taken sometime soon."

His white eyes turned to her.

He wouldn't ever really be sure what made him do it – he _was _sure he'd never know. He kissed her. And she kissed him too, holding onto him like she was afraid he'd change his mind. His arms slid around her waist and held her against him. Her lips were soft – virgin – her fingers warm where they'd settled on his neck. "Neji-nii-san," she whispered, breaking the kiss gently, "this means you don't hate me, right?"

His fingers dug into her hair, pulling her to him again, and against her mouth, he simply said, "Right."


	2. ShikaTema

Note from the Author: … I'm thinking this is pretty self-explanatory.

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Temari didn't get depressed very often. In fact, she was much more often found angry – because the three most important people in her life were total snots.

Gaara was … well, Gaara was Gaara. He was quiet to the point of arrogance – a silence that said: "You're too below me for me to be bothered with answering you."

And Kankurou – Kankurou was a pest. He bullied younger children until she caught him in the act and shooed him away. And, though she was a year older than him, he had no respect for her.

Nara Shikamaru – she would never be able to explain why she'd fallen in love with him. Maybe it had been the strange carelessness with which he performed every task he was ever given – or maybe it was the bored way he grabbed her hand, as if to say, "You're worth the extra move."

But today, everything was a little different. Today was Temari's birthday. And of course, not one of those people had remembered.

With Gaara, it was to be expected. He didn't particularly care for anyone but himself.

With Kankurou, she was usually awarded an obnoxiously high-frequency whistle and a shouted, "Happy birthday!" accompanied by the punches that every birthday seemed to come equipped with – and which Kankurou relished, because it was the only day of the year she allowed him to hit her without her hitting back.

Shikamaru was lazy. She hadn't known what to expect on their first birthdays together. Certainly, she hadn't been expecting no reaction at all. He had come to retrieve her from the inn as he always did when she was in Konoha (she had made a point of taking a delivery mission for just this occasion), but hadn't mentioned anything – not even a mumbled well-wishing.

So today, Temari was thoroughly dejected. She sank moodily into the Nara's sofa, crossing her arms over her chest.

Shikamaru returned from the kitchen, gingerly carrying two steaming cups of tea. "Something on your mind?" he murmured, setting them on the table.

She sank to her knees before her tea, bringing her hands together in a silent appreciation and shaking her head. "I'll be okay."

"You're upset."

"What do you know?" she snapped, looking huffily away.

His eyes rolled, and she could practically hear him thinking, _She's so troublesome. _"You'll feel better if you talk about it."

Her hands slammed on the tabletop as she leaned forward, glaring through the steam of her tea at him. "Isn't it kind of an important day?"

He nodded, fishing in his pocket and pulling out a small box. "Happy birthday." He grumbled, sliding it toward her.

She blinked down at it, blushing in her shame. "Sorry, Shikamaru – I didn't mean -"

"It's fine." He cut her off nonchalantly, not wanting to put up with the apology. "I wouldn't have bothered making you tea if it wasn't your birthday, you know."

She stared blankly at the cups, fingering the package.. _Why didn't I think of that? _

"You gonna open it?"

She smiled widely, ripping off the paper, and in a moment, found her mouth hanging open. Pulling out the small object, she sent a scathing look at her boyfriend. "A shogi piece." She shook her head in disbelief. "You got me a _shogi _piece."

He lifted one shoulder in a shrug.

"Why couldn't you buy me something a little more _romantic_?"

"That was the most romantic thing I could think of."

"And you're a genius." Her eyebrow shot up. "How is _this _romantic?"

He smirked lightly, sipping at his scalding tea. "Because you're the only puzzle I can't solve."

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Note from the Author: _You're OOC, Shikamaru! _:knocks him out with a shovel: Yep. Just a random "It's Temari's birthday!" one-shot. :shrug:


	3. NaruSasu

**Note From The Author:** This is Furuido (her sister) because I told her I type this up for her.

Naruto's birthday was today.

Nobody had forgotten – it was just that nobody _cared_. They were all far to busy to care that the most obnoxious kid in their class was a year older.

Hinata had been the only one to acknowledge it, stopping to offer him a bow and a, "Happy Birthday, Naruto-kun!" before running after her team.

But Hinata, as sweet as she was, wasn't the one Naruto wanted to hear it from.

He sulked around Konoha

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It had been ten hours. He let himself fall, staring up at the black sky through the dark silhouettes of leaves.

It was nearly midnight. His birthday was almost over and it hadn't been anything special – though he was sure it never would. His breath came through his nose with a hiss and he sounded so angry to his own ears.

A face loomed suddenly over him, round and porcelain, like the moon that framed it, "dobe, are you sleeping?" Despite the taunting nickname, the voice was soft as if, if he was in a slumber, he didn't want to wake him.

Naruto did his best to glare, though the sadness he was feeling kept it half-hearted, "No," he murmured dimly, rolling onto his side, his elbows cushioning his head.

A rustle and a sigh as Sasuke plopped beside him, his leg sliding through the damp grass as he stared skyward. "It's almost midnight. Why are you out hear?"

"Why not?" He sounded better even to himself, "I have nowhere else to be."

Silence. Then, whispered, "I didn't forget, Naruto."

"I know." Hollowed out – like a reed – his voice came through his throat, "It would have hurt less if you had."

Crickets droned out, suddenly and loudly, a cacophony trying to fill the dead space that followed his words.

"Come with me, Naruto."

He flinched.

"Come on – you can stay with me tonight." The grass murmured as he stood, stepping over his friend to look into his face, "I made dinner for you – and I bought you a present. If I have to return it because you're being stubborn, I'm going to destroy you next time we spar."

Naruto's heart lifted, his blue eyes finding and focusing on the other boy's face. "You're not making it up, are you?"

"No, it was supposed to be a surprise." Sasuke's hands found his pockets. "I've been looking for you for hours but, for once, you were impossible to find. I should have figured you were here."

Naruto dragged himself into a sitting position. "Surprise?"

He smiled. There was no grin in it, no over-compensating obnoxiousness. It was a simple, joyful smile. He let Sasuke help him up, but didn't let him go, drawing him close and embracing him. "Thanks, Sasuke."

Sasuke grunted, non-committal, taking his hand and walking with him like that, ignoring the blush Naruto put on his face.

Naruto's eyes were on him, watching him fondly, as she spoke – quite for once, enjoying the moment, of course, he didn't what he was saying – he was stuck on what Sasuke had said.

_Naruto, everyone's waiting._


	4. NejiTenLee

Note from the Author: I in no way support NejiTen (although I find LeeTen adorable). This is supposed to be more of a friendship/TenTen-loves-life thing more than anything. NejiHina all the way!

**LoversPastForgotten: **Thanks, hun!

**CaveDwellers: **I believe I sent you a review reply, but thank you again!

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TenTen smiled, laying her chin on her arms, her brown eyes roaming lazily over the sky. Her throat vibrated with her hum as she kicked her legs, her slender body nestled into a bed of wild grass.

Today was too perfect for training. The clouds were a friendly white, promising not to rain, and the weather was warm for the first time since winter began. A pleasant breeze skipped over the training grounds where she lazed happily.

It was her birthday, but that mattered very little to her. No one ever remembered birthdays when one was a ninja. It became painful to know such small things after friends were killed, which was a near-inevitability in the life of a shinobi. TenTen was one of the strongest kunoichi in the village, and she understood this logic well. Knowing each other, loving each other, caring at all; it could all be used to one's disadvantage.

Despite this knowledge, she was very attached to her teammates. Something possessed her to love them both more than was healthy in the profession she had chosen. She didn't care. The part of her that considered them her family made her recklessly in love with both of them.

She pushed herself up on her elbows, her fingers twisting in Neji's long dark hair, tugging gently. His white eyes were half-closed, his cheek pale against the deep green of the grass against which his face rested. His bandages knuckles pressed affectionately against his arm, as if making sure she wasn't going anywhere while he relaxed.

Her adoring gaze turned to the boy on her other side, and she brushed a ladybug from Lee's cheek, and he beamed up at her fondly, his hands folded on his stomach, the sun warming his happy face. His head rested beside her hands, his hair mingling with Neji's loose strands. She sighed contentedly, pressing her lips softly to Lee's forehead, then to Neji's exposed temple, feeling almost motherly.

She loved them both dearly, was filled with joy in their presence, and she lived in the hopes of giving _them _hope. She worked hard for only them, and these were the people she became strong to protect. These were her precious loves.

And on this perfect day in early March, aching with the pleasance of their company, TenTen thought this was her most beautiful birthday. These boys that made her life worth living were the best present she could have wanted.

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Additional A/N: _Hella. _Yeah, you know TenTen's birthday is only two days before mine. Go us!


	5. Iruka

Note from the Author: This is my first birthday fic in a while, and it's definitely going to be the weirdest one I've ever written. I apologize now.

**Ballagurl106: **Thanks, dearie.

**The Most OOC Writer Around: **I'm glad!

**CaveDwellers: **_Neji's _knuckles were pressed against _TenTen's_ arm. I can see how that would be confusing. And I'm glad you think it's friendshippier because I think so too.

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"Naruto, where are you taking me?" Iruka was trying his best to hide the fear in his voice. Nothing scared him quite as much as a 'surprise' from the Uzumaki boy.

He grinned over his shoulder. "You'll see, Iruka-sensei!"

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Of course, in all reality, it wasn't that much of a surprise.

Iruka shook his head, chucking, and smiled at the boy beside him. "We eat ramen every day, Naruto. What's special about eating it today?"

The grin returned, this time accompanied by the happy slurp of ramen. His teacher noticed just how much older he looked. "This time, _I'm _buying. It's your birthday, Iruka-sensei. Anyway, it's tradition that we come here. And besides," he paused to take and chew another bite of his ramen and, after swallowing, said, "This isn't all, you know."

The chuunin's eyebrow shot up. "There's _more_? Should I be worried?" He laughed at Naruto's indignant look. "I'm kidding. I'm sure it'll be great."

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"Come _on._" Naruto had finished eating and was tugging on Iruka's sleeve, thinking that would somehow hurry him up.

Iruka sighed, standing. "Alright, what else?"

"Come with me!"

He followed at a slow pace after the overly-excited genin, frowning. Somehow, his birthday just didn't bring very much happiness into him. He had no parents to celebrate with, but that wasn't new. They had been gone a long time. He was used to being alone on this day, because the only people he spent any real time with were his students, who were too young to even understand the idea that adults _had _birthdays and were not just that eternal age of "old."

"Iruka-_sensei_! Hurry up!" Naruto stood in the doorway of a restaurant, an _expensive _restaurant, waving his arm at him in a beckons.

Iruka realized again just how much older he looked, how much more mature, and happier. In the two and a half years that he had been away from Konoha, Naruto looked like he had figured himself out. He was still insane, definitely tactless, and maybe a little impulsive, but he had found himself, had found his place, and he understood it now. Iruka was so proud of him, he thought he might as well be his son.

He trotted over to him, and Naruto barked, "Close your eyes."

Rolling them first with a smile, he did as he was told and allowed himself to be led inside.

"_Happy birthday, Iruka-sensei_!"

They shot open, surprised by the number of voices that had joined in on that chorus – eleven of them. Eleven of his students were standing before him, now Chuunin and jounin, but they were all there. Naruto was foremost in the pack, smiling widely. "Iruka-sensei, we know we've never said it before-"

"But you're the coolest teacher at the Academy!" Ino broke in, giggling.

"We wanted to make sure you had the coolest birthday party ever!" Kiba barked, grinning, and so did Akamaru.

"You still have time to enjoy all of the wonderful things of _youth_!" Lee was crying, but that wasn't a huge surprise.

"Iruka-sensei," Naruto's voice was soft, and the talking died down to let him speak. "You don't see us often, and sometimes we forget to say 'Hi' when we walk past you down the street, but," he hesitated, not knowing how to go on.

"But if it weren't for you," Hinata blushed when all eyes turned to her. "If it weren't for you, we wouldn't be where we are."

Naruto's smile had returned full-force when he looked at him again. "Yeah, so happy birthday, Iruka-sensei, because you've given us everything, and it was about time you got something too."

Iruka smiled back, too overwhelmed to say anything. Looking around at his former students, who had all grown up to be great shinobi, he didn't think he could ever feel so proud of anyone. "Thank you all." He managed out, hugging Naruto. "This is a great gift."

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Additional A/N: Wow, that was cheesy. But it was also written on the spot because I forgot it was Iruka's birthday until about twenty minutes ago. O.o Sorry for the lack of pairing.


	6. SasuNaru

Note from the Author: I don't even like Sasuke. Why am I writing him birthday fics?

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"Hey, teme!" Naruto bounded up toward him in the high-energy way he was known for. "How's it going?"

Sasuke eyed him suspiciously. The grin plastered on his face was more pleasant than usual, less challenging, like he was truly curious about his emotional status. "None of your business," was the reply he heard himself giving, and he wondered if he didn't need to think anymore when it came to writing off his teammate.

Naruto's smile faded appropriately, and he nodded, leaning against the railing of the bridge, head tilted back to look at the sky. "So how 'bout after training we go get ramen, just you and me?"

Sasuke turned slowly to face him, dark eyes narrowed. "Why?"

Naruto's laugh was almost nervous, his cheeks growing pink, as he scratched the back of his head. "Well – you know – why not?" He shifted uncomfortably, clearing his throat and looking at the ground. "I just thought it'd be nice." His eyes shot up, defenses raised. "But, don't come if you don't want to!" He crossed his arms over his chest, tossing his head.

Guilt wormed its way into Sasuke's chest, and he felt vaguely uncomfortable that he had just shot down dinner plans when he really did want to go.

"Good morning, Sasuke-kun, Naruto!" Sakura waved as she ran, clutching a lunchbox to her side. "I made us breakfast!"

Sasuke swallowed his regret, standing up straight, and Naruto forgot about him, chattering to Sakura. It was too late now to take back his pride's rejection.

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"Naruto," Sasuke ran to catch up with his retreating teammate, nudging his shoulder to make space for himself beside him on the path. "You're buying."

The blue eyes blinked at him for a moment, uncomprehending, and his face broke into a bright smile. "I intended to all along!"

They walked, mostly silent, from the training grounds, feeling awkward and self-conscious, and Sasuke thought this resembled something like a first date, which made him shift that much more uncomfortably. Sometimes, their hands would brush together, and both would blush furiously, looking away from each other with all the deliberateness of school girls with across-the-playground crushes.

They both breathed in relief upon reaching Ichiraku, and collapsed together at the counter, ordering. The walk hone had taken much more energy, it seemed, than the training itself.

They spoke sparsely as they ate, keeping their eyes on their bowls, until finally, Naruto fished a box from his pocket, pushing it across the countertop toward his friend, refusing to make eye contact.

When Sasuke picked it up, his fingers running over colored paper, tossing him a questioning look, he simply murmured, "Happy birthday," and continued eating.

The Uchiha's mouth dropped open in surprise. He had forgotten his birthday. After all, he hadn't celebrated since his parents died. He hadn't even known Naruto knew what day it was.

"Aren't you going to open it?" Naruto was watching him nervously, his ramen momentarily abandoned.

Slowly, after a moment of thought, Sasuke shook his head, setting it down beside his bowl.

"Why not?" His voice raised, perplexed.

"I haven't celebrated the day I was born in five years, Naruto." He explained quietly, stirring his ramen absently. "Why would I start now?"

"Because I'm in your life now!" Naruto was seething, and his hand slammed on the counter, making the bowls quake. "Because I think your life is _worth _recognizing, whether you think so or not!" He took Sasuke's face in his hands, turning it toward him, and kissed him, almost harshly. "Sasuke, from now on, you're going to know that you're alive for a reason more important than revenge."

Sasuke stared at him, shocked by how close their faces were, by the fact that he had just been kissed by the only person he had ever cared about. "Why?" he breathed.

Naruto's anger softened from his face, and he smiled. "So I can love you."


	7. KakaIru

Note from the Author: -.- Yay for OOCness. :brandishes OOC shovel: _Anyway, _happy birthday, Kakashi.

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Hatake Kakashi had had ever intention of lazing with his Icha Icha all day – his own little present to himself.

Of _course, _nothing _ever _goes just right for Kakashi, and just as he settled down in his favorite spot – a tree in a remote clearing, miles from the village – he received a summons from Tsunade. With one last look of longing at his book, he disappeared in a _poof._

_0_

He officially hated horses – end of story. Horses were _evil._

He had sworn to Tsunade that, after today, he was _never _doing another "help around the farm" mission ever again – especially with his completely out-of-their-minds students. (Naruto complained all day that Sasuke was trying to rape him. All the Uchiha said to defend himself was: "It's not rape if you like it.")

And, of course, not _one _of them had remembered – if they had known in the first place.

He sighed, closing his front door and locking it behind him – though he knew it wouldn't do much good if a ninja with any sort of talent really wanted to get in. It just made him feel like he had _some _sort of privacy. "Happy birthday, Kakashi," he mumbled, trudging off for a shower and then for a nap.

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"_Kakashi!_"

His bleary eyes blinked open against his will. "Hn?"

The worried face of Umino Iruka relaxed slightly. "I thought you'd died on me. Where'd the bruise come from?" He pressed a finger lightly into his chest.

Kakashi batted it away. "Horse kicked me because Naruto's a moron." He murmured, lifting the corner of the blanket and inviting the Chuunin in. "Come 'ere."

He blushed. "Kakashi, if you're hurt, I don't think-"

"Don't care." He grabbed his arm, pulling him down and snuggling against him. "Something's going to go right today, or I'm going to kill myself."

Iruka frowned, giving up on resisting the affection and tucking himself into his arms. "Don't talk like that." Sighing, he laid a kiss on his jaw. "Happy birthday, Kakashi."

Then he was giving out a muffled squeal as Kakashi mashed their mouths together. "You remembered!" he purred happily, nuzzling against his neck.

Iruka laughed, trying to catch his breath. "Of course I did." His lips brushed across the exposed forehead. "You molest me on your birthday every year."


End file.
